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Dear Mat and All,

As daft and unbelievable as this is going to sound, I get reports just like Mats coming in to me on an all to regular basis. In these days of “supposed” green issue awareness, it is extremely alarming that some elements within our modern society still don’t give a damn about the really tenuous situation our nations river systems face day in, day out.

At this time of the year, we all look towards our rivers for being a source of enjoyment and relaxation. As anglers, sportsmen/women, boaters and members of the general public alike, we flock in our droves to be near, upon or next too, moving, living water. The numbers of human beings that frequent river locations is growing by the year. And for all the various problems posed by the great floods of a couple of years ago, riverside property prices continue to soar as they are regarded as premium price tag investments still by estate agents.

So given this fascination, desire, and even down right obsession for all sorts of social sections to be in and around rivers, why is it that so very few who really enjoy a rivers company give a damn about them? Sounds daft? Well please read on for some plain enlightenment.

Boaters? There are loads of them in this country. Millions I should think if you take into account every type of vessel that floats upon river water. By and large these are very nice people. But when was the last time you read about boaters campaigning vigorously for the quality of the wet stuff they float upon? Or for the creatures that dwell within it? Not their concern. Is it?

Water Skiers? Quite a lot of these out and about on the bigger rivers. Now undoubtedly, rivers are important to the Water Skier. But do they campaign for better water quality to skit about upon? Up and down. Up and down. Very nice if you like that sort of thing. But do they speak out or share a minority of anglers concerns about just exactly what is, being poured into our rivers? Not their concern. Is it?

General Public? Put up a footpath sign, or NOT, near any river or stream anywhere in this land of ours and within an hour, a car will pull up, out will pop dogs on leash or kids in tow as Mr & Mrs General Public visit the river. And WHY NOT I ask. Rivers are for all to enjoy. Indeed, the enjoyment gleaned from being next to a river has been common practice since time began. A cooling summer breeze, with dappled light dancing on the rivers surface. Watching the wildfowl pass by. Skimming stones or throwing a stick in for the dog to chase and swim after. Typical scenes that the public enjoy.
But do they really care about the shiny clear water? So long as its there the water quality is not their concern. Is it?

Anglers? Now if there were one section in the whole community of people who enjoy being at the rivers edge, surely the angling community would be the one to be really concerned about the protection of our rivers. Well,…. actually no. That is NOT the case. The pathetically small numbers who are members of the ACA, RSSG, SAA or any of the other river protection organisations bear this out. It always seems to be someone else’s problem. Well, its actually everyone’s problem. Or will be, sooner or later.

Unbelievably, angling groups both old and new, continue to thoroughly enjoy the river environment but refuse to protect it by joining those that do with their “None Political” stances that beggar belief given what rivers give them. We also have people who should know better that persistently keep the memberships they are supposed to represent out of proper political/environmental representation because they say “ Oh no, we wont join this or that because all the wrong people are heading up these organisations”. What?! I heard better arguments in the playground when I was a lad in school!! Surely being in there, fighting for rivers has nothing whatsoever to do with who’s heading up what. You only win battles by being willing to fight and angling needs strong leaders. Not wimps. Its high time that memberships told their leaders, elected or not, that they represented THEM. Not the other way around.

And whilst these opinions flourish, our rivers keep rolling by. Every things fine and dandy. Isn’t it?

Mats story is down right disgusting. Both on the part of the minority farming or industry view that they can get away with anything. And disgusting on the part of the EA who didn’t respond quick enough or if at all. So much for anglers getting their licensing monies worth when the chips are really down. Is Mats story a rare one? If only it were. And I tell you what chaps, its getting worse and going to get a whole lot worse still.

Don’t believe me?

The EA are struggling for reasons only they know. Ask yourselves honestly, when was the last time you were asked to produce your rod license? And if it was recently, how long was it the time before last? If they are not policing the very source of where their fisheries funding comes from, i.e. Rod Licences, what else are they not policing properly?

Now, try out this little experiment for yourselves.

Go to all the places in your homes where you store the liquids and powers you all use to keep your lives/homes clean. Now, get them all out and place out on the kitchen floor. You know the sort of products. Wash powders, bleaches, cleaning liquids, washing up liquids, dish washer liquids etc etc. All and every household product that ends up down the plug holes in your sinks or drains.

There’s rather a lot isn’t there?

Now think of all the homes or houses down your street. Your village. Your town or your city. Think of everyone else’s. Imagine all those kitchen floors with all those cleaning products in every home right across the nation. Add too those, all the new homes springing up everywhere as the relentless thirst for profit from housing development continues. If that’s not enough, add the cleaning fluids in daily use in every factory and all those new factories springing up everywhere on new industrial units.

Guess what? All this stuff, millions of gallons of it, is going into our rivers within one/two weeks until they are ALL replaced at the next visit to the supermarket or the wholesale trade suppliers. Then, millions more gallons of this witches brew the week after. On and on. Week in, week out. Year in, year out. It really IS a frightening situation. A monster via Endocrine Disrupters is being created unless we act now to apply pressure for work and research to be massively funded so it can be completed quicker. And that pressure could only come about via a massive river angling voice going out to a wider public arena. Not enough is being done quick enough on this front and needs the government to take its responsibilities for funding this research more seriously than it is already. I have already warned that the EA were becoming ineffective before on other mediums and in some part, was ridiculed for it. Well, my vision is now coming true and its about time that we ALL started to pay for the EA services properly if we are to have a really effective agency that works for OUR environment. Even fishery services funding should NOT fall at anglers doors because clearly, anglers are NOT getting a fair shake from this. As I have said before, the environment belongs to us ALL. So ALL must contribute for its protection.

The truth is, we managed to get industry to clean up ITS act, but forgot about the real polluters. OURSELVES!!

So, now, more than ever before, our rivers need river anglers to once and for all come together to form one single massive pressure group that will demand action on this, and other important issues that threaten our rivers futures.

This government promised anglers that they would implement their “Charter for Angling”. So far, they have done nothing. More meaningless talk.

Its high time, that river anglers stopped pussy footing around, came together, and DEMANDED there be a Charter for Rivers. Or are we going to continue to remain fragmented, listen to bad advice from others whilst things deteriorate?

And if we DID unite, perhaps then guys like Mat would have somewhere to come where the proper help, support and solid pressure could be applied to make Mats problem a thing of the past. Together we CAN do something positive.

Regards,

Lee.